Nonresidents can get Hawaii state ID card

Question: We will be visiting Honolulu and Kauai in November and wonder how the Hawaii ID card can benefit us. I was born on Kauai, but have been residing on the mainland since 1951. Since we are planning to stay for a full month, we are contemplating using TheBus as our primary means of transportation. Do we qualify for a state ID card? Secondly, how do we obtain a monthly or weekly bus pass and are there discounts for senior citizens?

Answer: You don't have to be a resident of Hawaii to obtain a state ID card, but if you're not a permanent resident, it may not benefit you in the ways you hope.

You are required to put your permanent address on the card, under Chapter 846-28(1) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

That requirement was enacted after it became apparent that tourists were being advised to get Hawaii ID cards just so they could get "kamaaina rates" -- discount rates for residents.

"Anyone may obtain a Hawaii state ID card if they have the required documents," said Liane Moriyama, who oversees the state ID office as administrator of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center.

To apply for state ID cards, you both would need to present your Social Security cards, certified birth certificates and certified marriage certificate, she said.

Since you will be in Hawaii for only one month, you would need to list your mainland address.

"The purpose of the state ID card is for personal identification," Moriyama explained.

MEANWHILE, anyone 65 years or older is eligible for senior discounts or passes to ride TheBus, which operates only on Oahu.

If you have a U.S. Medicare card, just show the card to pay a discounted fare of $1 per ride, said Michelle Kennedy, spokeswoman for Oahu Transit Services. Request a transfer and you can get a free ride within a two-hour period.

Another option is to purchase TheBus Senior Card for $10, good for four years. You can use the card to pay a cash fare of $1 per ride, or use it to purchase a monthly senior pass sticker for $5.

The monthly pass sticker allows unlimited usage for regular and express service during the month purchased.

The senior card must be purchased at TheBus Pass Office. You must show proof of age, either a state ID card, driver's license, birth certificate or passport.

It can be purchased by anyone of any age for $20, at TheBus Pass Office, 811 Middle St., as well as at ABC Stores in Waikiki and Ala Moana Center, and at selected 7-Eleven stores in Waikiki, Kennedy said. For more information, check online at www.thebus.org or call (808) 848-5555.